Arrow, Line and Sinker
by I Fancy Hugh Dancy
Summary: The tragedy at The Glades has greatly affected both Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen. How will they move on after knowing what had occurred, especially how it affected the people that they cared about? Will they eventually realize that they could find mutual comfort in one another? Olicity. Set after the Season 1 finale. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**+ ARROW, LINE AND SINKER +**

A A A

"_**I Could Be The One"**_

_**By: Avicci feat. Nicky Romero**_

_Do you think about me when you're all alone?_

_The things we used to do, we used to be_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

_Do you think about me when the crowd is gone?_

_It used to be so easy, you and me_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

_When you need a way to beat the pressure down_

_When you need to find a way to breathe_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

_If you never see me when the crowd is gone_

_It used to be so easy, can't you see?_

_I could be the one to make you feel that way_

_I could be the one to set you free_

A A A_  
_

**Rating: **T – MA for language and adult situations.

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

**Summary: **The tragedy at The Glades has greatly affected both Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen. How will they move on after knowing what had occurred, especially how it affected the people that they cared about? Will they eventually realize that they could find mutual comfort in one another? Olicity. Set after the Season 1 finale. Rated M for later chapters.

**Disclaimer: **This story is pure fanfiction. I don't own any of the recognizable characters from the show "Arrow".

**Author's Note: **Hello, lovely readers! I've been posting fics since 2003, but this is my first Arrow fic! I've been lurking around for a while, so I thought it was time to post a little story. My OTP is totally Olicity, so here's my take on their relationship starting in the second season! As usual, I'm just writing this as it comes, so I hope it turns out to be an enjoyable read and something to keep you entertained until the new season begins. Please review, save, fave, etc.! I'd love to hear your feedback on this. Happy reading! xx IFHD

A A A

**Chapter 1: Aftermath**

She had failed this city.

Felicity continued to cry at her computer as the realization burned deep within her. The atrocity at the Glades that Malcolm Merlyn had masterfully orchestrated was on every news channel, and she couldn't help but watch every moment of the pandemonium. The pandemonium that _she_ didn't stop. _I should have known there was a possibility that there was more than once device! _She yelled inwardly._ Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Though she continued to mercilessly chastise herself, the alarm in her body finally overtook her consciousness. She now felt the continuing quake beneath her feet and hear the rubble that rained down above her. She cursed to herself. Finally wiping her tears away, fixing her glasses, and ripping her eyes from the computer screens, she stood from her desk and bolted towards the stairs.

As she reached the first step, however, a piece of concrete plunged from the adjacent wall. It grazed her shoulder before smashing into more pieces upon the ground beside her, but the impact was strong enough that it knocked her backwards. With a yelp, Felicity lost her balance and fell hard to the ground. Though her head hit the floor roughly, she had somehow managed to brace for the impact and jut her elbows out before she entirely tumbled.

Waves of pain rushed through her entire body, and all she could manage at this point was to cry out. _This really wasn't the way I planned to die_, she mused. _I thought it'd be more acrobatic, like jumping and rolling to save a cat from being run over or something_. She then made an irritated noise. _This is _serious_, Felicity! Why are you thinking about morbid things?_

She then felt another tremor and took a cursory glance at her surroundings. She discerned that, directly above her, another piece of concrete was threatening to fall. Felicity fought to roll over, but found that her body wouldn't comply.

Her eyes widened as the slab slowly slipped downwards, amassing with it the certainty of her death.

She shut her eyes then, crossed her arms above her head, and braced for the impact.

What she felt next, however, wasn't hundreds of pounds of concrete, but strong hands pulling her out of the way. She then heard and felt the piece of ceiling violently smash to the ground to her left. When she opened her eyes and peered upwards, a familiar face greeted her.

"Diggle!" she said in half exclamation, half sob. When she embraced the large, dark-skinned man in delight, a groan escaped his lips. Felicity pulled back immediately and surveyed his state. "Hey, you're hurt."

Diggle nodded simply, then motioned his head towards her arm. "So are you. Come on. We need to get out of here."

A A A

The first few minutes of the drive to Felicity's apartment was silent, as both she and Diggle were still in shock about the entire situation. Though Felicity was sure that the soldier-turned-Vigilante-partner had seen his share of chaos and destruction, it was the first time that _she_ had witnessed them, of this magnitude, firsthand. She could discern Diggle assessing her inconspicuously, and she attempted to stop her tears at that very moment.

"Oliver," she began, her voice quivering. She eyed Diggle with worry. "Is Oliver alright?"

"He's alive," was all that Diggle recounted. The muscular soldier let out a sigh, then met her stare. "Look, Felicity. I want you to go home, clean and dress your wound, rest, and lay low for a while, alright?"

Protest raced through her body then, and she exclaimed, "Wait, _lay low_? But what if you and Oli..."

By this point, Diggle stopped the car at the side of the curb, then pointed towards her home. "We'll be fine, Felicity. You've been through a lot, especially tonight. Just rest and recover, and we'll brief you in the morning. I promise."

Felicity hesitated for a few moments, but finally nodded and stepped out of the car. As she closed the door, she peered through the open window at her friend and said, "You take care of yourself as well, Dig." She awkwardly gestured to his blood-stained chest. "I think you'll need a new suit."

He let out a scoff, but smiled and nodded. "Goodnight, Felicity."

Felicity managed to trudge her way up the four flights of stairs and into her apartment. Upon entrance, she threw all of her belongings on the ground and rested her face in her hands. As she walked to the washroom and surveyed her state in the mirror, she realized that, coupled with smeared makeup and dirtied and torn clothing, her entire body was trembling.

_Is this the beginning of what they call post-traumatic stress disorder?_

Felicity attempted to clear her head, rid herself of her clothes, and stepped into the shower. She turned the water on with a swift twist of her wrist, and as the thousands of droplets hit her shivering body, she began to cry, to release everything that she had held within her. Tears mixing with warm water, she attempted to scrub off the day's dirt. _If only I could have done something more_, she sobbed. _If only I could..._

With renewed vigour, she shut the shower off, stepped out, and quickly wrapped a towel around her body. Marching from the washroom to her bedroom, Felicity hastily picked out new clothing and tossed them all upon her bed. As she finished placing gauze around her wound and was about to change, she heard behind her:

"Hey."

Felicity froze on her spot. Still wet and soaking the wooden floors beneath her feet, she cautiously turned her head towards her new visitor. "O-Oliver?"

Oliver quickly realized her undressed state and politely averted his eyes. "I...I um...hey."

"Hi," Felicity replied breathily. Her head wavered to the side. "W-wait, you know where I live?"

"The address wasn't hard to find. You _do_ work for me."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between them. However, Felicity quickly felt her face redden at the realization (better late than never) that she was only clad in a towel in front of Oliver. Hurriedly wrapping the towel more tightly around her body and picking off her clothing from her bed - starting with a teddy bear bra that she hoped he didn't notice - she slowly retreated from the room and sputtered, "Sorry, could I just...um..." she motioned to her clothes. "You know..."

Oliver's head reared back. Though no smile appeared on his face, he quickly nodded. "Yeah. I'll be in your living room."

When Felicity thought she _finally_ looked presentable for company, she joined Oliver in the adjacent room. She saw that he was sitting on her couch, body entirely tense, eyes staring into nothingness. His arms shot out and gripped his knees, his jaw tough and squared. To Felicity, he seemed like a volcano ready to erupt.

She bit her lip. Walking to her kitchen, which faced the living room, she resolved to make both of them some tea.

"You're hurt."

As Felicity looked upward, Oliver stood and approached her. Without another word, he took her arm from the kettle, rolled up her short sleeve, and assessed her wound.

"It's nothing," she tried to appease him, "it's just a scratch."

Though Felicity attempted to retrieve her arm back, Oliver tensed and gripped her wrist. Her bright blue eyes landed to where his hand wrapped around her arm, then trailed upwards to meet his. Felicity gulped, realizing then the intimacy of their situation. _Well, _platonic_ intimacy_, she thought, ..._if that actually existed_. Oliver's face was mere inches from hers when he admitted, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Felicity."

She felt her insides instantly warm at this and the feeling of his hot breath on her skin. Though, she fought the gripping sensation within her and breathed in deeply to remain calm. She still had to get over the fact that Oliver was in her damn apartment, let alone now too close for comfort! "No, Oliver, you had other things to do and people you cared about to..."

"Hey," Oliver began, calmly moving her to face him entirely. He placed his hands on her elbows. "I care about you..."

Felicity felt her heart stop at this.

Oliver finished with:

"...you're not just a co-worker, but a friend. You know that, right?"

Felicity managed to swallow the growing lump in her throat and fight away her growing discomfort. "Y-yeah. Of course I do, Oliver." When she noticed that his harsh expression didn't abate, she questioned, "What happened?"

Oliver released her. At this query, his light eyes became misty, though he used all the self-control he had within him not to shed any tears in front of her. Instead of directly replying to her, he resolved to turn upon his heel and walked towards the door. "I'll tell you about it later. For now, just rest."

Felicity's eyes followed him as he retreated and closed himself off to her once more. Just like he always did. She felt a tinge of frustration, then quickly followed him and gripped his upper arm. "Hey, I know both you and Diggle want me to rest and calm down or whatever, but I think I deserve to know what's going on!"

Oliver stopped walking, let out a curt sigh, and said, "We _will_ tell you what happened and what's going on, but I don't think you can handle much more right now than..."

At this statement, Felicity strode forward in order to speak with Oliver face to face. With clenched fists as her sides, she met his eyes in defiance. "Look, what happened out there," she jutted an index finger to her window, "was because I was _stupid_ enough not to think of..."

A look of realization passed through Oliver's face then. His body instantly softened. He took a step forward and cupped Felicity's face in his large hands. He felt her tremble at his touch, though he ultimately intended to soothe her. With a shake of his head, Oliver stated, "What happened is _not_ your fault, Felicity." The softness in his voice was now armed with conviction. "What you did saved so many lives - more than I could have saved in one night. Don't you see that?"

"But the other device..."

Oliver quickly shook his head and interjected, "I will _not_ let you blame yourself for something other people have done to this city. Do you hear me?" He gave her a light shake for good measure when she didn't automatically reply to him. "Felicity, do you hear me?"

Felicity was close to tears at this point. She bit her bottom lip, then gripped Oliver's large wrists. "Yes." She moved back from him then, one slow step after another, and reached for her front door's handle. "But I will _not_ just sit here, comfortable in my home, while _that_ is happening to so many people out there." She opened the door before her. "Do you really think I'm going to sleep tonight?"

Oliver threw her a bewildered look. "Felicity...what are you doing?"

"_Something_." She answered simply, walking through the threshold. "I'm going to help rebuild this city, Oliver." She beckoned her head towards the exit. "Aren't you going to come with me?"

A A A

**A/N: **What did you all think? Let me know! =D xx IFHD


	2. Chapter 2: Demons

**A/N: **Thank you SO much to everyone supporting this story! I really appreciate it and am working as much as I can to update; I have so much more in store for all of you. Special thanks to those who reviewed: _**Dianitachiva**_, _**LilSweetie**_, "_**Guest**__", __**dreameralways**_, _**Motherduk**_, _**Lily M.85**_, _**The Watcher**_, _**jimi18**_, _**morrigan75**_, _**SharkGurl**_, _**rae8807**_, _**chiaki2389**_, _**SleazyforAnyWeasley**_, _"__**Guest**__"_**, **_**CKFan37**_, _**Redlioness62**_, _**1n Rainb0ws**_, _**cjjosh4ever**_, _**emily. **_, _**misspossessive**_, and _**Illiah**_. More thanks to those who are following and who have saved this story. Most of all, thank YOU for reading! Hope you enjoy this next one. xx IFHD

A A A

**Chapter 2: Demons**

A A A

_Inspired by:_

"_**Demons"**_

_**By: Imagine Dragons**_

_When the days are cold  
And the cards all fold  
And the saints we see  
Are all made of gold_

_When your dreams all fail  
And the ones we hail  
Are the worst of all  
And the blood's run stale_

_I want to hide the truth  
I want to shelter you  
But with the beast inside  
There's nowhere we can hide_

_No matter what we breed  
We still are made of greed  
This is my kingdom come  
This is my kingdom come_

_When you feel my heat  
Look into my eyes  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide  
Don't get too close  
It's dark inside  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide_

_When the curtain's call  
Is the last of all  
When the lights fade out  
All the sinners crawl_

_So they dug your grave  
And the masquerade  
Will come calling out  
At the mess you made_

_Don't want to let you down  
But I am hell bound  
Though this is all for you  
Don't want to hide the truth_

_They say it's what you make  
I say it's up to fate  
It's woven in my soul  
I need to let you go_

_Your eyes, they shine so bright  
I want to save their light  
I can't escape this now  
Unless you show me how_

A A A

The third day of the simultaneous clean-up and reconstruction project of the east side of The Glades and the outlying areas that were mildly damaged by the tremors were less chaotic than the first two. Waves of panic were increasingly replaced by that of trauma and mourning, where many inhabitants and pilgrims from nearby cities and towns sifted through the devastation in an almost catatonic state. Some of the survivors who had managed to flee the area were lucky enough to find that most of their homes, albeit damaged, had remained intact. Those who were not so fortunate, however, flooded homeless shelters and hospices, praying and hoping all the while that there were still beds available. Looting and fighting sporadically occurred; though, for the most part, the negative shockwaves of the earthquake were tempered by compassion and hope. Starling City slowly arose from the ruin and its inhabitants were standing united in rebuilding their city.

Felicity awoke early that day, rising earlier than the sun, and resolved to begin the restoration of their headquarters at Verdant's basement. She didn't find it difficult to reach the club, as most of the streets had now been cleared and reopened for pedestrians. What she _did_ find difficult, however, was getting _into_ Verdant. Upon stepping in front of the entrance, she was confronted with a master lock that was the size of her hand; attached to that lock were thick links of chain that looped and knotted around the doors' handles. Though knowing her efforts were going to be futile, she gave the doors a tug for good measure before reaching for the phone in her front pocket. "C'mon, Oliver..." she mumbled to herself, biting her nails and tapping her toes. "Hurry up and answer!"

Nothing.

No 'hello', not even a voicemail greeting.

After the fifth ring, Felicity finally decided to try another route.

She waited through several rings and said aloud, "Ok, Dig, you better answer your phone or..."

"Felicity...you _do_ know that I answered, right?"

The IT expert shook her head as though awaking from a reverie and finally focused on Diggle's baritone voice. "Oh, sorry, was distracted by a cat crossing the road." He sighed knowingly. She winced. "Look, both you and Oliver said that you'd brief me on what's going on. It's been two days and a few hours, and I _still_ haven't really been told anything. You _do_ know _that_, right?"

"Listen, it's just not the right time to..."

"Dig," she interjected in a stern tone, "I don't think there's ever going to _be_ a right time. Look, you know I'm going to find out sooner or later, so just give me a break for once and let me find out sooner rather than later, okay? We _are_ Team Vigilante, right?" She let out a brusque exhale. "I'm at the entrance of Verdant right now, and it's been chained and locked closed. How am I supposed to clean, fix, and salvage everything in the basement when...?"

Diggle let out a puff of air, then remained silent for a while longer. When Felicity _finally_ trailed off, he began, "Felicity, sit down for a second."

The young woman quickly surveyed her surroundings. It was devoid of any kind of chair or bench, so she settled for sitting on a piece of rubble that appeared as though it used to be a roof. "Okay. I'm sitting down. It's kind of uncomfortable because there are no cushions and it's not really for sitting, but..."

"Tommy's dead," Diggle interjected curtly. "Moira's been arrested and is being held and questioned in the prison while awaiting her trial. Thea's AWOL, nowhere to be found."

Felicity blanched at this. Her throat quickly became parched. "Um...is...is that all?"

"No, actually." Diggle exhaled once more. "The press is all over the Queen mansion. We've stationed guards everywhere and are doing our best to keep them back. Not sure what's going on with Queen Consolidated either."

Felicity could feel tears forming in her eyes. "And Oliver?"

"He's here, at the mansion."

It was the young woman's turn to release a sigh. Her tone, however, remained determined. "I'll call you when I get there. Well, I've never actually been _there_, but I'll find it. It's just going to take me some time to walk or bus or..."

"...I'll see you in a bit, Felicity."

A A A

Felicity re-read Diggle's intricate text describing how to get to the back entrance of the mansion. He underlined that it was imperative for her _not_ to be caught by any member of the press _or_ the Starling City police - particularly because Detective Quentin Lance was well aware of her connection to the Vigilante. Without protest, she wholeheartedly agreed to this order; exacerbating anything else was the opposite of her wishes.

"Oh God...ow." Felicity violently ripped her curly, blonde hair out from a tall, trimmed hedge, then stumbled out into the clearing. With a minor adjustment of her glasses, her bright blue eyes took a cursory glance at her surroundings. When she saw that the coast was clear, she dashed toward the back doors, conveniently hidden by an outer wall, where Diggle was already waiting for her.

The soldier couldn't help but raise a laconic brow at her awkward running - which resembled an injured goose attempting to fly off the ground - but ultimately made no comment and quickly ushered her inside. As she doubled over and caught her breath, he motioned his head to the right. "He's in the living room."

"Which one?" She replied half-serious, half-jokingly. When she finally managed to recover, Felicity couldn't help but stare in awe at the interior of the Queen mansion; she had heard how expansive and elegant it was, but others' descriptions were nothing compared to the beauty that she was seeing in front of her. The place boasted such majesty, such history, that it almost overwhelmed her. But, she mused, exactly how much of this place was built over the foundation of blood?

She turned the corner and immediately perceived Oliver, sitting alone on the middle of the couch. His brooding expression was accompanied by his tense posture; he leaned forward, hands clasped so tightly that the veins in his taut arms jumped from his skin. He propped his elbows on his jean-clad legs and looked as though he had difficulty breathing.

Felicity almost lost her nerve when he looked up at her. As he regarded her curiously, she rethought precisely why she had come in the first place. She quickly remembered everything that Diggle had recounted to her, but she also didn't want to show Oliver that she knew of everything that had happened and what was currently happening as of yet. Clearing her throat, she began lightly, "So, uh...thanks for locking me out."

Oliver somewhat sat up straight and raised his brows. No smile graced his square face. "Looks like you got in just fine." He pointed towards her head. "But why do you have leaves in your hair?"

Felicity hurriedly took the foliage from her person, mumbled a curse, then flailed her hands out in front of her. "N-no, I meant at Verdant. The front door was locked, and I obviously couldn't get in unless I had a really large bolt cutter and..."

"Verdant and Queen Consolidated - and our operation - are shut down until further notice," Oliver stated, his face remaining hard.

Felicity quickly processed this information, and a look of realization appeared on her countenance. "W-wait, what?" She took a few strides forward, now entirely facing Oliver. Another realization hit her then, overshadowing the former temporarily. "I'm...I'm unemployed?" She sputtered, then ran her hands through her face. "I _knew_ I bought fishnets for _something_. Always good to have a pair for a rainy day. Rainy day meaning when you become unemployed. Or the literal rainy day, when you'd probably have to change because wearing wet clothing is just uncomfortable, and..."

Felicity stopped speaking when she realized the stern look that Oliver was shooting at her. The young woman finally relented, sighed, and took a seat beside him. It wasn't difficult for her to discern that Oliver was a right mess; the man's life unravelled in practically a day. "Oliver, I know you've been through a lot," she began. Oliver met her eyes. "Dig told me what happened, and I'm really, really sorry. I shouldn't be thinking about myself..."

"The Vigilante failed this city, Felicity," Oliver stated, squaring his jaw. "He should have done more to protect it and to stop The Undertaking." His face filled with even more pain. "I can't keep doing this. I have to stop."

"Now you're starting to sound like me," Felicity couldn't help but say under her breath. She shook her head. "Oliver, if there's one thing I know, it's that you've done more for this city that you give yourself credit for. You can't just give everything up when this city needs you the most - and it needs you the most _right now_."

"I just..." he pursed his lips, then ran his hands through his short hair, "...I just need to be Oliver right now."

She didn't know if it was because she felt so much sympathy for Oliver, or whether she wasn't completely thinking straight at that moment, but Felicity mustered up enough courage and took his face in her hands. Light stubble tickled her skin, but she reveled at the warmth that he brought her. Her thumbs caressed the side of his hard face. He initially tensed at this unexpected contact, but eventually relaxed as she encouraged him to look at her. "But this _is_ you, Oliver." The two were nose to nose now. "The Vigilante isn't just some alter ego of yours - it's a _part_ of you."

Oliver's thoughtful stare pierced through her, and Felicity quickly became nervous. After a few, lingering moments, he let out a sigh, then gripped her wrists. "Look, Felicity," he gently pulled her arms away, "I appreciate what you've been doing for this city, for the Vigilante...for me. I appreciate what you're currently doing. But I," he clenched his jaw, "I need some time."

As though burnt, Felicity quickly retrieved her hands and crossed them on her lap. She moved a few inches away from Oliver for good measure and attempted to calm her rapidly-beating heart. Her brows remained furrowed at how dejected he remained. "No matter what, Oliver, you know that Diggle and I will always have your back."

"Thank you." Oliver stood then. Felicity followed suit." Look, I have to find my sister, see my mother, and be with Laurel." He placed a quick hand on her upper arm. "Tommy's funeral is tomorrow. I'll give you more details when I get them."

"Okay," Felicity replied meekly. She eyed the floor, then his eyes, alternately. When he said nothing further, she began to walk back from whence she came. Before she turned the corner, she heard him call out:

"Felicity?"

She whirled around. "Yeah?"

"Would you happen to know why there are thousands of dollars missing from the Queen Consolidated bank account? I had been informed that the money was withdrawn yesterday."

Felicity blushed, then made a nervous noise. "Oh, right. Forgot to tell you...um...I donated some of your money to the Restoration. You know, since they really needed it. Forged your signature and all. Was really easy to do, so..."

"Thank you." Oliver managed a half smile and placed his hands in his pant pockets. "You beat me to the punch."

An awkward laugh escaped her throat. "Yeah, well, even though I might punch faster, I'm sure you can punch harder. You know, if we were really having a punching contest or something."

Oliver regarded her with a small smirk. "I'll talk to you later, Felicity."

A A A

**A/N: **Oh man, all the Olicity feels I have inflicted upon myself! =*O xx IFHD


	3. Chapter 3: Mourning

**A/N: **Hi everyone! Quick update for you lovely readers as I had more time to write this weekend. As per usual, thank you to everyone who's taken the time to give this story a chance; let me tell you, things are _just_ beginning, so hopefully you continue reading and giving me feedback! Also, I hope the effort that I'm putting into this story in particular is showing. =)

Thank you to _**Kaden-san**_, _**Dianitachiva**_, _**SleazyforAnyWeasley**_, _**Rolodexthoughts**_, _**AnAverageGirl15**_, _**cjjosh4ever**_, _**misspossessive**_, _**red2013**_, _**CKFan37**_, _**LilSweetie**_, and _**jaidee**_ for their reviews for the second chapter and for everyone who saved and faved this story thus far. Your questions will slowly, but surely, be answered. And yes, Felicity IS the greatest, right? =D Enjoy this next installment! xx IFHD

A A A

**Chapter 3: Mourning**

A A A

_Inspired by:_

"_**Never Let Me Go"**_

_**By: Florence and the Machine**_

_Looking up from underneath  
Fractured moonlight on the sea  
Reflections still look the same to me  
As before I went under_

_And it's peaceful in the deep  
Cathedral where you cannot breathe  
No need to pray, no need to speak  
Now I am under all_

_And it's breaking over me  
A thousand miles down to the sea bed  
Found the place to rest my head  
Never let me go  
Never let me go  
Never let me go  
Never let me go_

_And the arms of the ocean are carrying me  
And all this devotion was rushing out of me  
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me  
But the arms of the ocean delivered me_

_Though the pressure's hard to take  
It's the only way I can escape  
It seems a heavy choice to make  
And now I am under all_

_And it's over  
And I'm going under  
But I'm not giving up  
I'm just giving in_

_I'm slipping underneath  
So cold and so sweet_

_And the arms of the ocean so sweet and so cold  
And all this devotion I never knew at all  
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner released  
And the arms of the ocean delivered me  
Never let me go  
Never let me go  
Never let me go  
Never let me go  
Deliver me_

_And it's over  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)  
And I'm going under  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)  
But I'm not giving up  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)  
I'm just giving in  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)  
I'm slipping underneath  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)  
So cold and so sweet  
(Never let me go, Never let me go)_

A A A

"Nice place, Felicity." Diggle let out a low whistle and nodded approvingly as he stepped through the threshold of her front door. His eyes scanned the modern home, which was decorated in hues of light charcoal and white. Though the walls and belongings were of the metallic and even futuristic persuasion, they bore a certain softness to them that only a woman such as Felicity would embody and represent. If the soldier could describe the young woman's living situation, it would definitely be: clean, organized, and simple. Everything from her books, to her technology, and even her sparse furniture were all in order, perfectly aligned and in place. The layout and look of her home smoked that of any soldier - and possibly every OCD person alive. Stopping at the windows, Diggle looked through the large panes of glass in her living room and at the breathtaking view of the city below. "To be honest, though, I was expecting a lot more...gadgets."

The proud IT woman appeared from behind a hallway wall and threw him an impish grin. "Well, that's because you haven't seen my secret stash."

"...You have a secret stash?"

"Crap." She crinkled her nose at her repulsive blunder. "Guess it's not so secret anymore."

"Don't worry," Diggle playfully pretended to zip his mouth shut, hoping to appease the semi-distraught woman, "your secret is safe with me."

The relief that washed over Felicity's face caused the soldier to chuckle. With the temporary crisis permanently forgotten, she continued with, "How are you feeling?"

Diggle flexed his wide chest and slightly winced at the protesting muscles and bones. The aching had subsided quite substantially since he was injured, though it was still enough to cause him to flinch when he moved rapidly. "Better than a few days ago, thanks." He let out a sigh. "Still not a hundred percent. Shouldn't be up and running right now, but I'll take my chances." He smirked, then adjusted his jacket's lapel. "Are you almost ready?"

"Yep!" Felicity called out somewhere within her home. "Just a few more minutes."

"Alright." Diggle continued to curiously peruse her place as she prepared to leave, hustling and bustling to and fro different rooms. Leaving her be for the time being, he strode towards her dining table and noticed that it was riddled with stacks and stacks of file folders. He picked up a four inch, green folder closest to him and flapped it about in the air. "What's all this, Felicity?"

Her head suddenly popped out of her bedroom door. "Oh, those? Job applications."

Diggle raised a laconic brow and placed the papers back on the table. "You still have a job, you know."

The young woman let out an elongated sigh and frowned. "According to Oliver, both my day and night jobs are temporarily on hiatus. For how long, I have no idea. 'Further notice' isn't exactly an accurate count. It's not even a good measure of approximation!" She threw the large man in front of her a defeated shrug as she placed on black heels that seemed a little too tight for her feet. "At least _you_ still have your job...and a sense of purpose."

"Don't tell me you're questioning your existence like Oliver is," Diggle said half jokingly, half serious. His almond-shaped, chocolate eyes filled with worry. He was already losing one of his closest friends as a result of the devastation at The Glades - he _really_ didn't feel like losing another.

Felicity bit her bottom lip, contemplating whether or not Diggle's statement rang true or not. What she was certain of was that Oliver's state was _much_ worse than hers. Their worries shouldn't be focused on her. "After seeing him yesterday, I know exactly what you're talking about." She quickly placed the strap of her purse over her shoulder and scooped up her keys into her hand. A look of determination crossed her comely face. "He needs us, Dig. Now more than ever."

Diggle followed her outside, then shut her door behind them. "Couldn't agree with you more, Felicity."

A A A

Felicity wrapped her grey trench coat more tightly around her as she and Diggle exited his car. Side by side, they jogged into the Neo-Gothic church that loomed above them in order to escape the torrential downpour. Through her foggy, dripping glasses, Felicity then noticed something peculiar. Stationed aside the first set of doors were two armed guards, their expressions as hard as the stone that the church was built of; they didn't even seem to notice the rain that poured down their chiseled faces and seeped through every inch of their dark clothing. Felicity threw Diggle a questioning glance, whose simple answer - "Oliver" - told her all that she needed to know. Without a word, Diggle nodded at the man on the right, and they passed the guards without any trouble. An usher greeted the pair at the door and, after the soldier informed him of their relationship to the deceased, led them through the chancel and to a pew on the south aisle.

The church and pews were decorated with vibrant, fallen petals and extravagant wreathes - a stark contrast to the sea of black that those in attendance wore. Soft sobbing and whimpering echoed through the expansive interior, haunting the ears of everyone present. The cloud of mourning was thick and hovered above the congregation without remorse. From what Felicity could see, every pew was occupied by at least a few people, most of whom she didn't recognize. What she did recognize, however, was Tommy Merlyn's open casket in the front-middle of the nave, elevated at the top steps of the altar. Tommy's enlarged photo smiled over the flower-decorated, oak casket, his eyes overlooking his audience; it was a solemn reminder of who the man was who they were all now laying to rest before them. The sombre sight was almost too much for Felicity to bear already, and she quickly tore her gaze from the man's now pale, cold face.

Her eyes landed upon Oliver's form, which sat at the first row, centre, at the edge of the pew. Her heart ached at his sight. Though he had his wide back to her, she could see that his head was slightly bowed - either in prayer or mourning, or both, she was unsure. What she _was _sure of, however, was that she wanted so much to comfort him - to be just..._there_ for him. She rose automatically then, finding renewed vigour within her. With a quick word to Diggle, she sidestepped through the pew to the middle aisle, excusing herself, and walked towards Oliver's direction.

She stopped abruptly at the middle of the church.

To Oliver's left sat Laurel, whose thin, shaking hands held on to Oliver's as though letting go would cost her her life. The brunette continually wept in silence, body wracked with grief, as she buried her face upon Oliver's adamantine shoulder. Through this, Oliver twisted his head to face Laurel, said something inaudible, then wrapped his arms around her in a long embrace.

Felicity had been standing for so long in the midst of everyone seated that those around her began giving her questioning looks. She finally noticed the unwanted attention. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, then felt a tinge of discomfort - due to what exactly, she was unsure of. Rethinking her original plan, she took a few steps back, fixed her glasses, turned on her heels, and retreated towards her seat. As she returned to his side, Diggle placed a strong hand upon her shoulder, glanced towards Oliver's direction with curious eyes, then eyed the woman beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just...feeling a bit sick, that's all." Felicity took in a deep breath as she attempted to become somewhat comfortable on the hard seats near the back of the church. "Funerals aren't really my thing. Well, I don't think they're really _anyone's_ thing, but I _really_ don't like them. Something about the smell of fresh flowers and death just not adding up for me..."

Diggle gave her a look of uncertainty, though eventually nodded.

Something then caught the soldier's gaze. Felicity followed it.

Thea cautiously approached Diggle, steps unsure, expression full of mourning and discomfort. Though her long, brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, her face was pale, only accented by the black dress that she was adorned in. She wore no make-up, her eyes red-rimmed and tear-filled. Her already thin frame seemed thinner, body unquestionably lacking sleep and nourishment. Diggle tensed at her ghastly sight, then quickly sidestepped through the pew to meet her. Without a word, the two shared a silent embrace.

Felicity's brows furrowed with worry, and she closely trailed Diggle out into the middle aisle. Thea's soft sobbing wrenched at her heart and, though she didn't know Oliver's sister, Felicity, too, had the desire to comfort her.

Another form beside Thea caught Felicity's attention then.

With his hands in his dark jeans and square, clean-shaven face hardened, Felicity recognized him as Roy Harper, the young boy who Oliver had saved from Joseph Falk on live television. The manner in which his light blue eyes gazed at Thea - a mixture of sympathy and compassion - instantly revealed their relationship to her.

Roy caught Felicity's gaze and gave her an introductory nod. Felicity shook his hand curtly and returned the nod in kind as they exchanged names.

"Thea, this is Felicity." Diggle broke the silence and stepped back from the young woman. "She works with Oliver as well."

"Hi," Thea said weakly, though couldn't manage a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Thea," Felicity placed a light hand upon the young woman's shoulder. "Oliver's up front." _And he really needs you right now_, she wanted to add.

Thea nodded, then looked at Diggle once more, as though for support. The large man, who towered over her, gestured towards Oliver's direction. Though she suddenly seemed nervous, Thea, with Roy at her side during every step, slowly made her way towards her brother.

Oliver sat up instinctively. With mist-filled eyes, he turned his head back and perceived Thea's coming form. He stood. The Queen siblings looked at one another in silence for a moment, then embraced. Thea mumbled endless apologies to Oliver and buried her face upon his chest. In return, Oliver offered her words of comfort as he placed his hand behind Thea's head and pulled her closer. From his expression and body language, it was clear that everything that wound up within Oliver was ready to unfurl in front of the congregation; however, with all the strength within him, he managed to hold himself together and fight back the oncoming tears.

A A A

Felicity always felt awkward attending anything pertaining to the celebration of the deceased. She knew very well that the celebration was towards the individual's _life_ and not _death_, but she never felt in the mood to party after seeing dead bodies. This was the main reason why she stood at the elaborate reception hall for Tommy's wake with a slew of strangers in discomfort, only accepting a glass of wine for propriety's sake in this particular situation. Though the atmosphere remained solemn, as was to be expected after the ceremony at the church, the guests were now a bit livelier - particularly with the alcohol roaming through their system.

Felicity needed some air and a _lot_ more space. As she placed the glass of wine upon a waiter's tray and zigzagged her way through the tightly-packed guests, she managed to find the doorways leading to a balcony. When she discerned that the weather had somewhat relented and the skies were once more dry, she stepped outside. With a deep breath, she welcomed the crisp, afternoon air upon her skin and reveled at the sight of the newly-trimmed garden below her.

"Hey."

Felicity almost jumped back in surprise. With a hand upon her rapidly-beating heart, she twisted her head and regarded the owner of the voice behind her. "H-hi, Oliver."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between them.

Oliver broke it first as he stepped forward and closed the door behind him. "Thank you for coming."

"Y-yeah, of course. I wouldn't have missed it." Felicity nodded enthusiastically, then quickly shook her head and winced. "I mean, not that I _wanted_ to be here because I _wanted_ it to happen; I meant that it's important to pay respects to those who are...to the people who have..."

"I know, Felicity."

The look upon Oliver's handsome face was tearing at every inch of her insides. Out of all of the moments that she had spent with him, Felicity had never seen him look so dejected, so lost. His eyes brimmed with tears, eyelids darkened by lack of sleep. Though his exterior was polished and perfect for the occasion, the emotions that he felt reverberated through him and were more than clear to Felicity. The young woman frowned. To simultaneously stop her own rising emotions and exhibit her empathy, she took an abrupt step forward and wrapped her arms around Oliver's trim waist.

Oliver was caught off-guard by this sudden gesture. At first, his arms were at his sides, somewhat raised, in surprise. She didn't break free. As Felicity rested her head upon the crook of his neck, the young man relaxed and, in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist. He instantly took in her lavender scent and the warmth and comfort that her body provided him. Having Felicity in his arms was an interesting feeling for Oliver - she was so soft, yet strong; so fragile, yet tough. To him, it seemed as though she were a walking contradiction, a reflection of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...but a nicer version, he supposed.

Felicity could feel Oliver's initial surprise and tension, then subsequent relaxed posture. She didn't release him despite the rapid beating in her chest, rising pulse, and light-headedness. This wasn't a haphazard act, but an act that she had wanted to do since the church, since...she could barely remember. Then, slowly but surely, his strong hands clung onto her, gripping her in an embrace that was a mixture of thanks and that of the need for comfort. She could smell his cologne - a familiar scent to her - but it seemed as though, at this moment, her senses were multiplied by a million. Not only was his scent so clear, but she could feel the beating of his heart, the warmth radiating from his skin, the muscles that pulsated and flexed beneath his suit. _She_ was the one who felt comforted in his arms. Secure. What's more is that, as the moment progressed, he pulled her in even more closely and rested his chin upon her head.

"Oliver, could I talk to you for a minute?"

Felicity pulled back at the sudden sound. Unfazed, Oliver held on for a moment longer, then slowly released her. He stepped back and faced the owner of the voice. "Of course, Laurel."

Laurel gave a nod, then eyed Felicity apologetically with her misty orbs. "Sorry, I..."

"No, no," Felicity moved back from Oliver and allowed the two to face one another. "It's fine."

The brunette nodded and attempted a smile through her grief-stricken expression. "Thanks."

Felicity opened the door leading back into the reception hall. Before she stepped through the threshold, however, she couldn't resist the urge to turn back. She eventually gave into temptation and instantly met Oliver's eyes. His indecipherable gaze burned through her; it ignited something within her very core, simultaneously washing away her discomfort and, yet, contributing to it. Felicity fought the strange emotion with all of her might and, with one last smile at the man in front of her, disappeared into the crowd once more.

A A A

**A/N:** You know what this story is saying right now? It's saying: save me, fave me, rave (review) me! ;) More to come, everyone! Hang on tight! xx IFHD


	4. Chapter 4: Business

**A/N: **Hi everyone! Thank you to **Rolodexthoughts**, **LilSweetie**, **Grey Fool**, **Motherduk**, **Dianitachiva**, **Luv2Live**, **Erin**, **jadiee**, **cjjosh4ever**, **emily. **, **A1fictiongrl**, ** Guest**, **AnAverageGirl15**, **southrnbygrace**, , **bixito10**, **red2013**, **Virgyarca**, **lightsabove**, **TruePlainHearts**, and **Anne** for their reviews. I'm so glad you're all enjoying the story so far. Yes, last chapter was really difficult to write because of all the feels, but I'm glad I got through that...and so did you, I see! Now...onto the rest of the story! Hope you all enjoy this. Thank you to **YOU** for supporting this story. Your feedback really encourages me to write! xx IFHD

A A A

**Chapter 4: Business**

A A A

Inspired by:

"_**Stay Awhile"**_

_**By: Ryan Star**_

_Clocks marching at the double time  
Every dollar has become a dime  
Hearts breaking at the speed of sound  
Falling down, all around_

_Bombs lighting up the eastern sky  
The backroom deals and the bottom lines  
The Earth's shaking, but we don't know why  
A million fires, oceans rise_

_I leave it all when I feel you near  
What I'm saying is I need you here  
Even though love never seems to last  
If you think we've got a chance_

_Stay awhile  
Oh you got to stay awhile  
These days are wild  
So baby, won't you stay awhile  
_

_Drop the needle on the belle brigade  
We slow dance till the moonlight fades  
Tell me now that you'll never leave  
Always stay, here with me_

_Keep me safe from the circus show  
The bullshit and the blowing smoke  
The knife hidden under every sleeve  
Stab your back, watch you bleed_

_They're gonna tell you what you wanna hear  
Like: I can make you a star next year  
Well, if New York City's lights are so bright  
How come so many people cry tonight?_

_Let your hair fall around your face  
I would kill just to keep you safe  
Put your body next to mine  
Just let go, and close your eyes_

_I shiver when I feel your skin  
Like a sinner who's been forgiven  
Go on, baby, shine your light  
Cause no one's gonna find us here tonight_

A A A

On the outside, it might not seem as though Felicity noticed any of the gawking stares and curious glances that were being thrown her way...

...but she _definitely _noticed them.

Armed with a large pair of bolt cutters casually hauled upon her right shoulder, the young IT woman strolled through the streets of the Glades as though nothing at all was out of the ordinary. She even hummed a light tune and nodded at the passersby, bouncing as she walked along. It was a wonder nobody reported her to the police as suspicious, particularly when she travelled in crowded, public transportation. Unfazed by the attention and remaining true to her task, Felicity now squared up the doors of Verdant and the chains that kept her from entering in a veritable showdown.

Her eyes narrowed in challenge as the metal blinked teasingly at her. "Alright." She positioned the mouth of the bolt cutter onto the chains. "Now we'll see what you're _really_ made of!" With this statement, she leaned forward and pressed the handles of the cutter in an adduction motion with shaking arms. It didn't take long before her muscles protested at the effort. "Oh God, this hurts!" she winced, beads of sweat now trickling down her forehead.

"Uhh...are you supposed to be doing that?"

Felicity entirely froze at the sound of the voice, then peered surreptitiously behind her to find its origins. She instantly recognized its owner, relaxed, and threw him a grin. "Of course, Roy! It's about time this place gets cleaned up, don't you think?"

The young man's head tilted sideways as he sifted through his memory. Recognition then filled his bright blue eyes. "Hey, you were at Tommy Merlyn's funeral, right?"

Felicity nodded and lowered the bolt cutter for the time being. Her muscles thanked her. "Yep! Felicity," she reminded him.

Roy kept his arms safely tucked within the pockets of his red hoodie, though gave her a curt not in return. He took a few steps forward. "Pretty sad what happened. It was hard being at that church. And Thea..." his deep voice trailed off with a slight sway in his tone, expression hard to decipher. He swallowed and continued with, "How did you know Tommy, anyway?"

"Through Oliver." Felicity's tone remained light, despite the sorrowful memories. Her head gestured towards the club's sign directly above them. "He and Tommy owned Verdant together."

Roy's mouth shaped into a small 'o'. "Now the chains make sense."

"Yes, well," Felicity smiled mischievously as she tapped the tool at her side, "they'll be off pretty soon."

"You got the keys for the doors, then?"

"Not yet..." The young woman cleared her throat, cursing to herself that she hadn't thought _that_ far ahead. Well, not like it would take her long to come up with the keys, anyway. When she didn't want to bring any more attention to what she was _really_ going to do at Verdant, she asked, "What brings you to the Glades?"

"Just helping out. Lots more things to do around here since the quake." The young man inclined his head in pride, then cocked his head to the right. "I actually just live a few blocks from here. Knew lots of the people who were affected."

"That's really good of you to do, Roy," Felicity gave him a genuine smile. She thought then that Thea was lucky to have him by her side.

"Well, we all gotta pitch in and do what we can to save this city." Roy shrugged nonchalantly, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Can't just wait for a hero to show up and do it."

This gave Felicity an idea.

A A A

Felicity was nervous. She was so nervous that, even though she had reached the entrance of "Big Belly Burger" restaurant a few minutes prior, she was _still _pacing to and fro at the front of the establishment, mumbling encouraging words to herself. While biting her lip, she continuously wrung her clammy hands in front of her and psyched herself up to muster enough courage and just go through with her original plan. Finally, with a deep breath, she threw all caution to hell and strode inside, legs wobbling a bit.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find the entrance," Oliver's mocking tone and amused smirk greeted her, "you passed by it so many times that I was thinking of getting up and showing you the way in."

The young woman blanched, as though she were a deer caught in headlights, and plopped down in the booth across from him. "Hey, I know where the door is!" She gave her head a shake and crossed her arms indignantly. "I was just...getting some exercise!"

"There are other ways of getting exercise, you know."

Felicity opened her mouth to retort something, then quickly snapped it shut. She shot the man in front of her a quizzical look and tilted her head to the side. "Was that supposed to be some kind of innuendo?"

Oliver returned her puzzled look. "Um...no?"

The lingering silence gnawed at her conscience. The more she prolonged the matter, she resolved, the more she was afraid she'd lose her nerve. "So, how about we get some grub, then?" She shifted upon her seat, attempting to find some comfort for her behind. "I'm starving!"

Oliver agreed with a nod and politely caught Carly Diggle's attention with a raised hand. With a smile and short greeting, she took their respective orders. After she and Oliver exchanged pleasantries and quickly caught up, he turned his attention back to Felicity.

"So...how's everything?" Felicity began carefully as the menus were taken from the table.

"My mother's trial is beginning soon," Oliver said without emotion in his voice; his face remained hard and stoic. "Thea comes back home from time to time, but she usually stays with Roy. I mean, I understand why she can't stand to be at home anymore, but I just wish that..." Oliver caught himself then. He sat up abruptly and gave his head a shake. "Enough about me. How was your vacation?"

"Yeah, about that..." Felicity started, fingers fidgeting atop the table. _Guess it's now or never_. "That's why I wanted to meet with you. I actually didn't go on vacation."

Curiosity overtook Oliver's face as he gave her a sidelong glance. "What do you mean? I thought you left last week?"

"I did leave the city, Oliver, but...I didn't go to a tropical paradise. I went somewhere else."

"Where?"

"New York City."

"New York?" His eyes narrowed, now in question. "Did you want to meet because you had some good news?"

Felicity bit her bottom lip. "I guess that's up to you to decide."

_**Flashback**_

Felicity sat patiently at _Firestorm_'s waiting area, briefcase at her side and hands folded upon her lap. The Manhattan-based company boasted state of the art design and technology, and from what she could already see from the entrance and the expansive lobby, they weren't afraid to boast it. She then thought about what had brought her there at such short notice: Queen Consolidated. As was to be expected, the company had lost much business over the past few weeks, given the scandal and its aftermath; but, when she did a bit of digging on her own, Felicity found that the company had its friends - ones who didn't have plans to level cities to the ground. She just hoped now that these friends wouldn't hesitate to lend a helping hand to her company.

"Ms. Smoak, he's ready to see you now."

Felicity stood and followed the bubbly red-head past the reception desk and through the wide, grey hallway.

The secretary gave the door a polite knock and ushered her into a meeting room. "Mr. Raymond, this is Felicity Smoak, your next appointment."

"Edward Raymond." The striking, light-haired gentleman stood as the red-head exited and closed the door behind her. He reached out his firm hand to Felicity. "Pleased to meet you."

Felicity took his grip and smiled. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and discuss my proposal. I know how busy you must be."

"Pleasure's all mine." He threw her a winsome smile, exhibiting his perfectly-aligned, white teeth. He cordially gestured for her to take the seat in front of him. As they sat in turn, he queried, tongue-in-cheek, "You're not by any chance..._Mrs._ Smoak, are you?"

The question made Felicity blush, her reddened cheeks quite noticeable to the man in front of her. She nervously fiddled with her hair. "Oh, no. No, no, no. I'm not a Mrs. anything."

"Good to know." He sat back, smiling, and opened out his arms to her. "So, about your proposal! I read the _very _detailed information that you sent me a few days ago, but I'm ready to hear your pitch in person."

Felicity took in a deep breath and opened her grey briefcase. _C'mon, Felicity, you can do this!_ She took out a slew of papers and slid them over to Edward across the table. "My company, Smoak Industries, has recently acquired a high profile company in Starling City." She began to sweat at the former fib, though continued with the charade. "Now, I am not at the liberty to discuss the status of the latter company, but I will share with you that it has many assets that _Firestorm_ will be _very_ interested in utilizing. You probably remember the extensive list in the report." She straightened her back, finding strength in the fact that Edward's face was surprised instead of suspicious. As he sifted through the papers in front of him, he nodded in approval. _He's taking the bait, Felicity...now go in for the kill!_ Felicity continued, "Your company has done business with this aforementioned company in the past, and from the transaction records that I've acquired, it seems as though you had a good relationship." Felicity adjusted her glasses, then clasped her hands upon the table. "Looking at _Firestorm_'s profile, I really believe that your company and mine would be stronger together. With the technology that I can provide and the intra- and international customer base that you currently hold in the technology industry, I highly believe that our future together will certainly be promising."

A few "mm-hmm"s and "ahh"s escaped from Edward's lips. When he finished perusing through all the files, he straightened the papers on his desk and neatly placed them back in the folders. "Your assets are impressive, Ms. Smoak. Very impressive." He grinned from ear to ear then. "It's a wonder why we've never made steps towards a stronger partnership before. If I had, our success would probably be through the roof by now!"

"Well, Mr. Raymond," Felicity threw him an excited smile. "As per the terms of this contract here..." she gestured to a light-green piece of paper in the middle of the others, "...would you say that we have an agreement?"

Without hesitation, Edward stretched out his hands towards Felicity. "Ms. Smoak, you have yourself a partnership."

_**End of Flashback**_

"With all the losses that Queen Consolidated has incurred over the past few weeks," Felicity met Oliver's eyes then, "it would've been bankrupt more quickly than you could blink. A partnership of some sort with a good, trustworthy company was the best way to save it." She pursed her lips into a thin line, her next point hitting close to home. "Not only that, but you'd have hundreds of unemployed people in Starling City - something that, after The Glades, nobody can afford."

She waited a few, tense moments for Oliver's reaction. His jaw was tight, hands clenched in front of him. By this point, she was _certain_ that he was about to erupt, to give her a million reasons why she shouldn't have done what she had...

...to tell her to leave his operation entirely.

Oliver grinned.

Felicity was taken aback at the genuine sight - a sight that she thought she wouldn't see for a _very_ long time.

In another act that took her by surprise, Oliver leaned forward and enveloped her hands in his. Through her questioning glance, he gave them an encouraging squeeze. "Felicity, I can't even express how thankful I am right now."

The IT woman eyed him cautiously, as though she were expecting an impending threat. "You mean...you're not angry?"

"No."

"You mean...you're not angry even though I lied to you about the vacation, broke into your company's files, forged a bunch of things, claimed I owned Queen Consolidated, and made a deal with a businessman behind your back about your company's assets?"

Oliver eyed her tiredly, though didn't seem to reconsider his prior position. "No, Felicity."

She tucked out her bottom lip and blew out some air in relief. "Oh, good! Because there were some other things that I had to do to..."

"Felicity," Oliver eyed her sternly, squeezing her hands once more. "If this deal that you made works out, then you will have saved Queen Consolidated assets, including its employees, and ensured that what my family has built stays afloat." His eyes bore into hers then. "Ensured that _our_ operation stays afloat."

By this point, Carly returned and placed their orders on the table, severing the connection of their hands. As Felicity sat back, she ran a nervous hand through her hair and tucked a few tendrils behind her ears. Carly eyed them curiously, though ultimately smiled and said nothing. Oliver kindly thanked the waitress and remained smirking at Felicity.

As they began to eat, Felicity admitted, "I'm just sorry that I saw him and did all of that without your consent. He just wanted to meet as soon as possible and, I mean, there were just so many things happening to you at once, and I didn't think that doing something like this was your priority. I was just afraid to tell you..."

"Hey," Oliver's look was so intense that it attracted Felicity's attention in a heartbeat. "You should _never_ be afraid to tell me anything, okay?"

Her posture relaxed. "Okay."

"Just...let me know next time."

"Well, I haven't signed the final papers yet, so whatever you want me to do, let me know and..."

"How about this." Oliver set aside his food with a curt sweep of his hand. His eyes twinkled with mirth. "_You_ make that decision."

Felicity placed the burger that she was about to finish eating back on the plate. "W-what do you mean?" she replied, cheeks puffy.

"How does the position of acting CEO sound?"

The young woman almost choked at this and had to gulp down her water. Oliver merely eyed her with a bemused expression on his face as she recovered. "W-wait, what?"

"Like you said," the muscular man gave her a shrug, "I have other things to take care of right now, and running Queen Consolidated isn't something that's on top of the list. Take a few weeks at the position and see how you like it."

"Oliver, I can't..."

"It's only temporary," Oliver tilted his head nonchalantly. "And, when I'm up for it, I'll reclaim the position and you can go back to IT. I know you'll do a great job, no matter what position you're in."

"...does that mean I get a raise?"

Oliver let out a hearty laugh at her mischievous expression. "You tell me, acting CEO."

Felicity's delight didn't dare abate as the couple finished their dinner slash informal meeting and stepped outside of the restaurant. The air was fresh and crisp, the skies showing no signs of downpour as it had earlier. They stepped to the side of the curb. Oliver's inquisitive eyes remained upon Felicity as she searched for nearby cabs to hail. As one approached, she gave the driver a quick signal.

Felicity felt Oliver's eyes upon her and turned her head back. "Hey, Oliver, thanks for..."

She was cut off abruptly when she felt Oliver's arms wrap around her waist. His strong body coiled around her frozen one, as though shielding her from all of the woes in the world. "I should be thanking _you_," his voice was almost at a whisper, breath tickling her ear, "for everything that you've done."

Felicity felt her entire body reacting to his gesture, simultaneously excited and...shutting down. Her head became light, as did her entire body. She could hardly control her breath at this point; but, she somehow managed to pull back slightly in order to meet his eyes and say, "Everything that I've done, Oliver, is because I wanted to, not because I _had_ to."

He continued to grip her body, a look of admiration exhibited on his comely countenance. "I know."

As she saw his expression, something washed over the young woman that resembled a mixture of courage, passion, and compassion. Without a second thought, Felicity pressed her smooth lips upon Oliver's stubbled cheek, the kiss lingering for a few moments. Oliver closed his eyes at the gesture and made no move to pull back; he didn't even flinch at the fact that her lips were dangerously close to his. Before either party could verbalize anything, Felicity used her thumb to wipe away the remnants of lipgloss adorning Oliver's cheek. "Sorry," she said softly, eyes alit. She then pulled back at arm's length and gestured towards the awaiting cab. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah." Oliver's eyes never left hers as he released her. "See you soon, Felicity."

A A A

**A/N:** Ahh, good feels this time! lol! Let me know what you thought about this chapter and what you expect to happen next! More to come! xx IFHD


	5. Chapter 5: Atonement

**A/N: **Hi my lovely readers! How are you all enjoying the story so far? Isn't Felicity awesome? But Olicity is defo amazing! =D haha Here's another installment or you! I have sooo many ideas for this story, so hang in there! As per usual, thank you so much for your support. Thanks especially go out to those who reviewed last chapter: **SleazyforAnyWeasley**, **Jadiee**, **Lil5weetie**, **cjjosh4ever**, **emily. **, **liferscove2118**, **CKFan37**, **Luv2Live**, **Rolodexthoughts**, **red2013**, **Dianitachiva**, **AnAverageGirl15**, **Teekanne2210**, **lightsabove**, **Starbright62**. Thanks to those saving and faving this story as well! I can't wait to hear your reactions about this chapter! xx IFHD

A A A

**Chapter 5: Atonement**

A A A

_Inspired by:_

"_**I'm Yours"**_

_**By: The Script**_

_You touch these tired eyes of mine  
And map my face out line by line  
And somehow growing old feels fine  
I listen close for I'm not smart  
You wrap your thoughts in works of art  
And they're hanging on the walls of my heart_

_I may not have the softest touch  
I may not say the words as such  
And though I may not look like much  
I'm yours  
And though my edges may be rough  
I never feel I'm quite enough  
It may not seem like very much  
But I'm yours_

_You healed these scars over time  
Embraced my soul  
You loved my mind  
You're the only angel in my life  
The day news came my best friend died  
My knees went weak and you saw me cry  
Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes_

_I may not have the softest touch_  
_I may not say the words as such_  
_I know I don't fit in that much_  
_But I'm yours_

A A A

Felicity was languidly awoken by soft humming beside her. It took the disoriented, groaning woman a few moments of blinking and looking around through glazed eyes to find its origins. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, she managed to somehow roll over on her bed and, with a smile already creeping upon her face, reached for the phone on her nightstand. Her toothy smile became even wider when she saw the text was from the person that she was currently thinking of (in a PG-13 kind of way - or so she claimed): Oliver. Hell, in her exceptionally pleasant mood, she didn't even mind that the message was coming to her at 5 in the bloody morning! It read:

_Hey Felicity. Hope you're okay. We're going to have a meeting at  
Verdant tonight at 7. See you soon._

"Verdant?" she said aloud, her eyes still shimmering from sleep. Without question, she replied with a "Sure, I'll be there" and a "Hope you have a nice day, Oli" before getting on with her day.

She was so excited to know why he wanted to meet that she ensured to reach Verdant at 6:00pm that night. Standing before the doors of the nightclub, she quickly saw that the lock and chains were gone, leaving no trace that they were ever there. The elaborate sign was even alit. Though elation instantly filled her, she questioned what precisely was going on as she stepped through the unlocked doors. _Are we going to party tonight or something?_ she mused, thinking that perhaps a party is just what she needed at the moment. Felicity entered the basement, and she instantly felt as though her eyes were deceiving her. As her stare swept the room, she perceived that the rubble, debris, and destruction from the quake were all gone, as though they had magically disappeared. The floors and walls were shining; the roof, completely intact. Most of the equipment were in their proper place, either restored or entirely replaced. Signs and tools of rebuilding and cleaning were apparent through the space; however, if it weren't for those materials and objects, it seemed as though the quake had all been a nightmare.

What made Felicity stare in wonder the most was that the basement looked as though things were back to normal.

The IT woman let out a little squeal of glee and headed towards her former workstation. _It's been _way_ too long_, she said inwardly. Fidgeting with and turning on all of her gadgets one by one, she realized that everything seemed to be in perfect working condition. And she thought all had been lost! As she arranged her desk and put everything in its proper place, she saw a glimmer of something from the corner of her eye. Curiosity overtook her, and she picked up the bow and an accompanying arrow beside it. _Time to have some fun! _She smiled mischievously. Seeing the target to her left, Felicity pivoted her feet upon her heel to face it and try her luck. She positioned her body to proper form, mimicking how Oliver stood as best as she could. With a little trouble pulling the tense bowstring, she loaded the arrow, aimed for the target several meters from her, and fired.

The arrow landed on the bullseye.

"Good shot."

"Oh God!" Felicity cried in surprise, almost dropping the bow. When she finally got a handle on the weapon - and on her rapid heartbeat - she turned sheepishly, head hung low. She blushed profusely at the fact that Oliver had just caught her, red handed, handling his property without permission. She needed her best attempt to rectify the situation. With an outstretched her arm, Felicity offered the bow to him, reasoning, "I was just...um...testing to see if it still worked."

"Oh really?" Teasing lined Oliver's tone as he slowly approached her, hands in his pant pockets. Then, he took back his weapon from her hand, inspected it, and nodded towards the target. "Seems like it works perfectly to me."

Felicity followed his glance and eyed her perfect shot. Her orbs twinkled in delight, pride flowing through her. "It's just physics, really."

"Hmm." A pensive looked crossed Oliver's handsome face. His eyes fell upon her calculatingly. "How are you with hand-to-hand combat?"

The young woman grimaced as she contemplated upon the question. "Um...well...I fought off a violent tree branch once. It was in a _really _bad storm, too. Managed to get away unscathed." She bit her bottom lip. "Okay, maybe a _little_ scathed..."

"Good start." Oliver gave her a smirk, then crouched and began to rummage through a duffel bag at his feet.

Through this, Felicity eyed him questioningly, almost suspiciously, then peered over his shoulder. Twisting his head back slightly, he merely shook his head at her curiosity and pulled out the objects that he was looking for. "Here."

Without any other kind of warning, Oliver tossed Felicity some articles of clothing. The shirt landed squarely on her head, but she managed to catch the flying pair of shorts. She gave him a worried look, then waved the clothing out in front of her as though she were drying it. "What's this?"

"For you to borrow." Oliver answered simply as he swiftly took his shirt off with one motion of his hand.

Felicity's body froze at the sight of him, his taut muscles rippling...well, _everywhere_, from what she could already see. It was nothing that she hasn't seen before, yes, but she still couldn't help but be affected by his impressive physique. It made her wonder just how much dedication it required not only to gain that body, but to maintain it. _I don't think I'll be able to give up pastries to reach _that_ level_, she thought. _Or pasta. And burgers! Oh, those burgers... _She shook the wayward thoughts regarding food for the time being and swallowed nervously. "You're taking your shirt off and you want me to put clothes on?" She said half joking, half anxious. "Is that how it's supposed to work?"

At the quip, Oliver stopped what he was doing for a brief moment and threw her a pointed stare. At first, it seemed as though he was ready to scold her; but, eventually, he let out a curt laugh and shook his head. "We're training."

"Training what?"

"Felicity, just _change._"

Felicity knew from _that_ latter look that Oliver was just going to dismiss any of her further questions, as valid as they might have been. So, with her newfound uniform for the night, she dragged her feet towards a storage room adjacent to them and did as Mr. Queen had asked. After a couple of minutes, the young woman returned, adorned in her new wardrobe and armed with a crinkled expression. The sleeves of the oversized shirt reached down to her elbows; the shorts appeared in kind, and the full length of them reached her knees. All she could do to prevent her bottoms from falling off entirely was to tie the string as tightly as she could - which _still_ remained loose - around her waist.

Upon seeing her wardrobe transformation, Oliver appeared as though he was about to burst out laughing. Instead, he pursed his lips, masterfully cleared his countenance of any sign of mirth or contorted expression, and said in the most serious tone he could muster: "You'll grow into it."

Felicity groaned. "Great! I'll start gorging on pizza now. Extra large. With extra toppings!" She waddled to his side, careful not to let her shorts slip any further down her hips. Seeing that Oliver was now only clad in his jogging pants, she followed his lead and kicked off her shoes. A sigh escaped her lips. "So...we're training _ourselves_?"

"Yep." Oliver stepped in front of her, reached his hand to the side of her face, and gently removed her glasses. Upon inspecting her blushing countenance, he gave her a nod of approval and a delicate stare. "There. Just in case it gets in your eyes."

"Um..." Despite the tender look that she was now receiving from the man in front of her, Felicity suddenly became nervous once more, her face now entirely pale. "Why would my glasses get in my eyes?"

"Duck."

"What?"

"Duck." Oliver repeated more firmly, face remaining neutral.

"Goose?" Felicity completed unsurely. Before she could question why in the hell he was speaking about ducks, Oliver clenched his fist, reared back in perfect form, and threw a punch at the side of her face. Though the movement was slow and calculated, it earned a shriek of surprise from the young woman; to her relief, she actually managed to respond to the attack and move out of the way in time. "I don't like this game!" Felicity sputtered, standing upright once more, a few paces from her 'attacker'. "How about we play some Starcraft?"

"This isn't a game, Felicity. This is serious."

She threw an accusatory finger in his direction and protested, "Well...how am I supposed to concentrate when you're shirtless?"

Oliver stopped for a moment to consider the question. "Do you...want me to put a shirt back on?"

Felicity paused in kind and rethought her statement. She heavily mulled over her options, took a good, long look at his ripped body, and replied: "Well...come to think of it..."

He gave her a side smirk, pleased with her decision. "I'm more comfortable without a shirt. Plus, it can get hot down here. Now..." he took her chin in between his thumb and index finger and prompted her to meet his eyes, "...focus, Felicity. I need you to focus."

She let out a puff of air and nodded in acquiesce. "Fine. I just won't look at you, then."

With a mere shake of his head, Oliver began to teach Felicity his fighting style and the basics of self defense. In _his_ defense, this hard lesson was necessary for the neophyte, particularly _because_ she was so and given the current positions that she held in his operation and with Queen Consolidated. The old adage of 'it's better to be safe than sorry' reverberated in his mind. Plus, he reasoned with her as the lesson progressed, it's always important to learn how to defend oneself in general. In a place like Starling City, you never really know when you're going to need it.

Oliver started with Eastern philosophies and small movements, akin to some of the things he had been taught on the island. A ripple effect begins with a single drop, and he reinforced the idea that even slight adjustments to simple techniques could make a very critical difference. They began with the upper body and arms, then moved to the lower body movements. Luckily for Oliver, and even despite her earlier grumbles, Felicity wasn't as stubborn as he was; she paid attention to everything he said as soon as the lesson started, down to the very detail, and grew quite captivated of what she was being taught. He was proud to see that Felicity was a quick learner and that she was stronger than she seemed on the surface. Taking every challenge as it came, the young IT woman delivered, giving everything 110%.

Now came the lesson when Felicity had to consolidate everything that she had learned in a short amount of time and apply it. Without so much as a warning, Oliver stood behind her and grabbed her head into a one-armed headlock. Though Felicity knew he wouldn't hurt her and didn't mean to even if he did, her body still reacted to the situation, which remained precarious as she was in the position of getting her neck entirely snapped!

"Oh my God...oh my God!" Felicity's high-pitched voice was muffled by Oliver's large arm. His attack didn't stop. Her face started becoming pink. "Oh my God, let go!"

"Just do what I taught you," he answered simply.

The hold remained.

Felicity greedily gasped for air. "But how am I going to be able to _throw_ you when...?"

"Felicity...!"

She heaved out a sigh. _The lesson thus far was going so well, so why stop now?_ With all of the force she could muster, she leaned forward, bent in the manner that she had been taught, and smoothly flipped Oliver to the side and onto the padded ground beneath their feet. He landed quite roughly, though expertly absorbed the impact with his feet and legs.

"Oh my god!" Felicity let out a whoop as she stood up straight once more. Her arms raised in the air in utter triumph. "I did it!"

"Good." Oliver gave her a nod, using his elbows to prop himself from the ground. "Now, react to _this_."

Before she could blink, and subsequently interrupting her victory dance, Oliver wrapped his legs and arms around her body and tackled her to the ground. Felicity let out a helpless yelp at the loss of balance and landed upon the padded ground in kind. She let out a prolonged groan at the sudden impact. Though Oliver ensured that her fall was cushioned, his offensive didn't abate. With lightning technique, he rolled atop of Felicity, using the pressure of his body to place her in supine position. As she still didn't react to the attack, he easily pinned her arms to the sides of her head and gripped her wrists. Finding herself in this new predicament, she finally attempted to free herself.

"You're pretty strong," Oliver commented, still struggling with the woman below him.

"I'm good with my hands, too." Felicity's eyes grew wide. She continued, sputtering, "Um...not in the dirty way. Just..."

"Felicity?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you..." Oliver gulped, head tilting from side to side. "Stop squirming for a sec?"

Felicity's eyes alternated from Oliver's dark look to where their hips touched. "Oh..._oh_!" Realization hit her expression with the force of a tornado. She attempted to wriggle even more from his grasp in panic. "Sorry! I was just trying to..."

"...You're making it worse."

By this point, Felicity could discern just how stormy Oliver's blue eyes had become. She grew entirely still, now keenly aware of how his presence gave her so much warmth and comfort. _Probably helps that he's not wearing a shirt_, she quipped inwardly. But she felt - no, she _knew _- that it was something more than that, something that her exterior couldn't precisely pinpoint.

Intrigued, Oliver silently traced the contours of Felicity's face with his calloused fingers. He eyed her as though he were seeing her for the first time, as though he were memorizing her every feature. Unbeknownst to her, he did commit her comely appearance to memory. His thoughts then began to swirl around their past together and, in truth, around the situation that they currently found themselves in - the _positions_ that they were in.

In the softest of manners, he pressed his lips upon hers.

Desire instantly burned through Felicity as their lips touched, her heart pounding as though it wanted to be released from her chest. At first, Oliver kissed her in an exploratory manner, as though testing uncharted waters. However, it didn't take long before the kiss became more heated, passionate. As the seconds passed, both Felicity and Oliver exhibited to the other the raw need that consumed them entirely. With a soft mewl, Felicity tugged Oliver's glistening body closer to hers, feeling as though his current presence wasn't close enough. She ran her hands through his short hair while his own latched upon the sides of her waist, trembling to rid the young woman of her shirt. "Felicity..." she heard him breathe out briefly before starting to kiss and nibble down her neck. Simultaneously, he ground his hips upon hers in an automatic motion and...

A throat cleared behind them.

As swiftly as he had taken her down, Oliver released Felicity. With agility that impressed even Diggle himself, the couple stood up straight and attempted to quickly compose themselves.

Oliver was the first to recover. He placed his hands behind his back, as professionally as he could, then glanced at the red-cheeked Felicity. "We were training," he explained, voice a little lower and raspier than usual. He still had trouble controlling his breath.

"I can see that." Diggle gave them an arched brow and noticed the slight quiver in Felicity's steps as she moved forward. "Now I'm confident that Felicity can do mouth to mouth resuscitation on me in case I need it." The large man couldn't help but smile at them amusedly when he noticed their appalled expressions. He felt discomfort radiating from both of his friends as the moment passed, so, being as nice as he was, he thought not to press the matter; it wasn't really his business, anyway, he thought. Instead, and, frankly, to alleviate the situation, he hopped down the rest of the stairs and asked, "So, what did you want to meet about, Oliver?"

As Felicity stepped forward, Oliver's eyes couldn't help but follow her form. He placed his hand upon her lower back and motioned for his two guests to make themselves comfortable. These gestures weren't lost on Diggle, and he silently eyed the two in turn.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Thank you both for coming," he began, finally retaining his composure and normal tone of voice. "It's been a while since we've been here together."

Felicity nodded in wholehearted agreement. "Yeah, last time Dig and I were here, he had to almost" - she managed to hold in her laughter, despite the severity of the situation that she was describing - "_dig_ me out of the rubble."

Oliver and Diggle shared a knowing look.

Felicity awkwardly cleared her throat at the silence that passed.

"Well..." Oliver continued again, giving Felicity a nudge of consolation and a smile, "I wanted the three of us to be here to talk about how to move forward. How to change the way we do things."

"Whoa, wait a second!" Diggle crossed his brawny arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You mean...there's still a 'we'? There's still...our operation?"

"Yes, well," Oliver continued, looking into their eyes alternately. "I was thinking I needed to stop being a vigilante."

Felicity's brows furrowed as she placed her open hand on his upper arm. "Wait...what? I'm confused. Why have you cleaned this place up and...?"

"I mean," Oliver gripped her hand in his and shook his head, "it's time for me to stop being a vigilante and become something else. Someone else."

Diggle tilted his head and gave him a sidelong glance. "What or who might that be?"

"A hero."

A A A

**A/N:** Even *I* am so excited about what's going to happen! haha! More to come! xx IFHD


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